Delivery enclosure



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DELIVERY ENCLOSURE Filed June 10, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 JL M Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES DELIVERY ENCLOSURE Wayne E. Mack, Martins Ferry, Ohio, assignor to The Consolidated Expanded Metal Companies, Wheeling, W. Va... a corporation of West Virginia Application June. 10, 1936, Serial No. 84,465

10 Claims.

This invention relates to an enclosure adapted to be installed adjacent the door of a retail store at which deliveries are received outside of ordi.-, nary business hours, to prevent access by the delivery men to the stock on display in the store.

Enclosures of this type have been proposed previously (Sherrill Patent No. 1,924,963.) and it is the object of this invention to improve generally on such enclosures as have been known heretofore. My invention provides a strongsturdy enclosure of the type mentioned which can readily be assembled and taken down, and requires very little space for storage when not inuse. Thev enclosure effectively prevents access of delivery'men to the stock in the store, as it is provided with a top as well as side Walls, and means for releasably holding the various parts? in assembled relation against any possibility of tampering by delivery men.

In accordance with the invention, I provide a top frame, and means. whereby it'may be detachably secured above the. d'ooror other opening through whichldeliveries are made. The end of the top frame remote from the opening may be supported: on corner posts extending downwardly therefrom to the floor,. or it may be permanently suspended from the ceiling. Side and endpanels detachably engage the top frame to provide a complete enclosures' around the delivery opening, and suitable holding means maintain the panels in assembled relationship and in predetermined position relative to the opening.

For a completeunderstanding of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the enclosure assembled in operative relation to a delivery door;

Fig. 2 is a planview;

Fig. 3- is a plan viewof the top frame apart from the remainder of the enclosure;

Fig. 4 is a section view taken substantially on the line IVIV of Fig. 1 with the side and end panels omitted;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a detail;v

Fig. 6 is. a plan view of a portion of the top frame and the means to which it is detachably secured;

Fig; '7- is an end view of the structure shown in Fig. 6 looking from the right in the latter;

Fig. 8-is a rear elevation of the enclosure without the side or end. walls;

Fig. 9 is an elevation of one of the panels forming the side walls;

Fig. 10 is an elevation of one of the hook bars forming the side members of the panel shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is an elevation of a panel forming the rear'wall of the enclosure;

Fig. 1-2 is an elevation of one of. the hook bars forming the side members of the rear panel;

Fig. 13 is a plan view and Fig. 14 is an elevation of one of the locking bars used to keep the side and end panels in assembled relation;

Fig. 15 illustrates an additional means for securing the parts in assembled relation. 7

- Referring nowin detail to the drawings, an enclosure It) comprises a top frame 1 I, side panels l2 and a rear end panel I3. As best shown in Fig. 3, the top panel comprises side bars l4 and a rear end cross member l5. The side bars i l have eyes H6 at the ends adapted to be disposed adjacent a delivery opening such as a (1601 H. The side bars [4 are also provided with corner eyes l8 and intermediate eyes l9. Theseeyes are formed simply by bending straight bar to appropriate shape and welding it to the side bars l4.

An intermediate. cross member 2!) extends between the side bars l4 adjacent the eyes I 6. A frame 2| extending from the intermediate cross member 20 substantially to the ends of the side bars i4 is hinged or pivoted to the top frame by U-shaped brackets 22 welded to the cross member 20. The frame 21118.5 eyes is in the corners thereof adjacent the door.

The top frame I l is preferably covered, except for the eyes [8 and 19, to prevent the delivery men fromclimbing over the side or end walls of the enclosure. Any suitable material! may be employed for covering the top frame If, but I prefer expanded metal mesh 23. One sheet of mesh extends between side bars [4 and cross members l5 and 28, while a second sheet covers the frame 2|. Thev sheets may be welded to the side bars, cross members and hinged frame at intervals.

A head bar 24 is permanently secured above the door 5 l as by screws 25, to provide means for detachably securing the top frame. The bar 24' has an outturned flange 26 at one end provided with an L-shaped bar 21. Another L-shaped bar 28 extends outwardly from and then parallel to the bar 24 adjacent its other end. Stop lugs 29 and 30 are disposed on the head bar, as by welding, as shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 6.

The first step in assembling the enclosure isto place the eyes I6 on the lugs 29 and 30' with the otherend of, the top frame resting on the floor. By shifting the frame laterally, the eyes l6 em:- brace the bars 2'land28 as shown i'nFig. 6 The inturned end of the bar 2l, as shown in Fig. 4, is disposed at an angle such that the elongated eye N3 of the side bar M will readily pass thereover when the top frame is in an inclined position, 1. e., with the eyes resting on the lugs 29 and 30 and the other end resting on the floor.

The second step in assembling the enclosure is the erection of corner posts 3|. These corner posts have elongated eyes 32 at their upper ends which may be passed over T-ends 33 formed on the cross member l5, when the corner posts are disposed substantially parallel to the side bars -I 4. The corner posts are then raised to vertical position which lifts the top frame to horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 4. The hinged frame 2| is preferably swung back to the dotted line position, as shown in Fig. 4, while the top'frame is 7 being secured to the head barand the corner posts raised. This avoids interference with door closers, checks and the like which may be secured to the transom over the door. When the top frame and corner posts have been placed in position, the frame 2| is thrown over to the solid'line position in Fig. 4;

While I have shown corner posts 3| for supporting the top frame, the latter may be permanently suspended from the ceiling of the storeroom if desired, and head bar 24 and the corner posts 3| dispensed with. In the latter event, the assembly of the enclosure involves only the placing of the panels forming the side and end Walls, which operation will now be described.

As shown in Fig. 9, the side panels l2 are composed of top and bottom cross bars 34 and an intermediate cross bar 35 extending between side bars 36. The resulting frame is covered with the sheet of expanded metal mesh 31. Braces 38 extend from the intermediate cross bar toithe side bars, and the mesh is cut out in the triangular space therebetween for a purpose which will apsimply by engaging the hook ends 39 thereofoverthe side bars I4 of the top frame and through the eyes l8 and I9 thereof. In order to permit the person who'erects the enclosure to pass out through the door l1, one side panel nearest the door is left off at first, to be put in place as the last step, after the person erecting'the' enclosure has stepped into the latter.

The next step is the placing of the rear end panel which is shown in detail in Fig. 11. It is composed of top, bottom and intermediate cross bars 4| and side bars 42. The frame thus provided is covered with a sheet of expanded metal mesh 43 except for eyes 44 formed by welding L-shaped bars to the bottom and side bars, as shown in Fig. 11. The side bars 42 have hook portions 45 similar to those of the side bars 33 of the side panels except that the hook portions 45 lie in a plane at an acute angle to that of the rear panel, instead of being disposed at right angles as are the hook portions 49 of the bars 36. It will be apparent that this configuration facilitates mounting the rear panel by passing the hook portions 45 downwardly through the eyes |8 at the rear of the top frame, as best shown in Fig. 2.

Locking bars 46 having a hook. 41 at one end' and an eye 48 at the other are then insertedeye end first through the eyes 44 of the rear panel, eyes 49 formed at the lower ends of the corner posts 3|.and the eyes 40 of the Side panels. On

the side on which only the rear panel has been placed, the locking bar is advanced only half way. Eyes 50 are anchored in any convenient manner adjacent the floor and the door lambs. A chain 5| is provided with a hook 52 at one end and an eye 53 at the other. The hook 52 is inserted through one of the eyes 50 and the eye 48 of the locking bar adjacent thereto, as shown in Fig. 1. The eye end of the chain is then threaded outwardly and inwardly through the triangular spaces defined by the braces 38 of the side panels-around the rear panel and forwardly through the panel'on the other side, and thence downwardly to the other fixed eye 50. For greater convenience, the chain may be threaded through all the side and rear panels except the side panel through which the person erecting the enclosure makes his departure, before putting the last side panel in place. The person erecting the enclosure may then step into it, place the last side panel in position from inside the enclosure and thrust home the locking bar 46 on that side. The chain may then be threaded through the last panel to be placed and brought down to the eye 5!]. the eye 53 and the eye 48 of the locking bar to the fixed eye 50. There is suflicient room between the side panel and the door jamb to permit manipulation of the, look from inside the enclosure. The length of the chain 5| is such that,

7 such position,.lateral movement of the side bars on the bars 21 and 28 is prevented by the lugs 29'and '30. The entire enclosure is thus firmly held together and tightly secured in position adjacent the door. It will be noted that the hook portions 49 on the side panels adjacent the door serve to prevent the folding back of the hinged frame 2|. The locking bars. 46 being anchored at the eyes' 5 0 prevent the enclosure from being raised while the chain 5| prevents the side and end panels from being sprung apart sufllciently to admit the person of a delivery man.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the enclosure is simple and light weight in construction and can readily be assembled and taken down. In addition, the parts do not require much room for storage when not in use. As described above, the completion of the assembly and the locking of the parts in position may be accomplished from within the enclosure. The last man to leave the store may thus complete and lockthe enclosure and then pass out the door. 7

Although I have illustrated and described herein but one preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be recognized that changes in the construction disclosed may be made within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the ap pended claims. 7

I claim: 7

1. An enclosure adapted to cooperate with a delivery opening, comprising a top frame secured above the opening, corner posts supporting the end of the frame remote from the opening, side and end panels having hooks for detachably engaging said frame, and hold-down bars extending through eyes-in said panels, at least one end of said bars being secured to a fixed anchorage.

2. An enclosure adapted to cooperate with a delivery opening, comprising a top frame secured A padlock 54 may be employed to secure above the opening, corner posts supporting the end of the frame remote from the opening, side and end panels having hooks for detachably engaging said frame, and a flexible tension member adapted to engage the panels and be secured to a fixed anchorage to prevent displacement of the enclosure.

3. An enclosure adapted to cooperate with a delivery opening, comprising a top, side and end panels depending therefrom forming the enclosure, means above the opening to which said top may be detachably secured by movement laterally thereof, tension means for drawing the enclosure close to the opening, and means preventing reverse lateral movement of said top when drawn close to the opening.

4. A delivery enclosure comprising a head bar secured above a delivery door, a top panel detachably secured to said bar, rigid side and end panels detachably engaging said top panel, and means releasably holding said panels in assembled relation and in a predetermined position relative to said door, including hold-down bars traversing said side and end panels.

5. An enclosure adapted to cooperate with a delivery opening, comprising a top frame secured above the opening, a plurality of separate, rigid panels detachably secured to said frame and extending downwardly therefrom constituting a complete enclosure, and means for preventing unauthorized detachment of said panels from said frame.

6. The apparatus defined by claim 5 characterized by means above the opening to which said top frame is detachably secured at one end, and posts at the other end providing the sole addi tional support for said frame.

'7. The apparatus defined by claim 5 characterized by said panels having hook members adapted to engage over said frame,- and eyes adapted to receive locking bars for preventing upward movement of said panels.

8. An enclosure adapted to cooperate with a delivery opening, comprising a top frame secured above the opening, rigid panels detachably secured to said frame and constituting a complete enclosure, means for preventing unauthorized detachment of said panels from said frame, said frame having material extending thereover preventing passing of persons over the top of said enclosure, and a hinged panel at the end of the frame adjacent the opening.

9. An enclosure adapted to be positioned adjacent a delivery opening comprising a frame secured above said opening and extending laterally thereof, side and end panels removably secured to said frame, eyes adjacent the sides of the end panel coplanar therewith, eyes on the side panels in planes normal to the panels and alined with said first-mentioned eyes, and hold-down bars extending through said alined eyes.

10. An enclosure adapted to be positioned adjacent a delivery opening comprising a top panel hingedly secured above said opening, the outer end of said panel having T-heads extending laterally thereof, corner posts having elongated eyes adapted to pass over the heads when in a predetermined position relative thereto, said heads preventing removal of the corner posts from the panel when supporting the latter in normal position.

WAYNE E. MACK. 

